Page 85 of Lightning Angel
Her breath hooked. “Is that…?”
She turned to Tristan as his response delayed. Hiseyes held uncertainty, but he nodded, almost cautiously. “You and me.”
Alexa swallowed, her eyes searching for the reason for his uncertainty. “You don’t sound so certain.”
His eyes turned rueful. “I didn’t want to freak you out.”
“Oh, Tristan.” She nearly melted. “You didn’t. I’m…” She glanced over at the painting and then back to him. “I’m just surprised. When did you paint this?”
“A few months ago.” Tristan averted his gaze to the painting, to the two silhouettes standing together. Alexa followed his gaze and watched the figures closely; the male had an arm around the female’s waist. She flushed at her discovery. “At the time I met you, I was giving it the finishing touches. But the silhouettes hadn’t been there until a month ago.”
A question burned on the tip of her tongue and she didn’t withhold herself from releasing it. Whatever this was between them, it couldn’t go forward without them being honest and open with each other.
“I thought you said you realized you loved me when you saw me leap from the bridge.” She kept her eyes glued on the boy and girl, yet she felt his gaze on her.
“I did,” he said. “At the time I added this, you were my dream. I dreamt of taking you to the rooftop of the highest building in the city and showing you the beautiful panorama. I longed for it, and as I fulfill every other impossible dream of mine, I gave it life in the only way I can. I painted it. I hope you—I hope you don’t mind,” he added hesitantly.
Alexa turned to him, her gaze meeting his open, honest ones. Hesitancy made him look vulnerable, andshe adored this side of him, unafraid to be honest. It was beautiful.
“That dream of yours,this—” she pointed to the painting “—is not impossible. Not anymore.” She offered him a warm smile and watched as his countenance slowly lit up, hope filling his eyes. It was like watching the sunrise itself.
“You mean you’d like me to take you to the city and show you…” He trailed off, at a loss for words to finish.
“It’s your dream, so yes. I’m here, and every dream you’ve had that I can help you fulfill, I will.”
An intense look entered Tristan’s eyes. “It’s a date.”
Alexa gasped lightly. “Are you asking me out?”
“You’ve given me a chance to prove myself, so why not?” he asked, and then frowned, concern replacing the intensity in his eyes. “Unless you want us to wait—”
“No,” she cut him off, surprising herself with her haste. She smiled shyly. “I’d love to.”
Tristan dropped his gaze to the floor as he let a wide grin fill his face, running a hand through his hair. When he lifted them back to hers, they were undeniably warm. “I’m afraid we will have to wait until—”
“I’ll wait as long as it takes.” The words escaped her before she could check them. Since she couldn’t take them back, she added, almost coyly, “Ifyou let me visit you every day until the storm is over.”
“Oh, Alexa.” He sighed. “I can never tell you how much that would mean to me. Especially since I can’t visit you…”
“Oh, but youdidvisit me to leave the note, in case you forgot.”
“I didn’t enter your room.” Tristan shook his head,amused. “Islippedthe note beneath your door. Didn’t you find it on the floor near it?”
“Yes?” Alexa drew out, prompting him to continue.
His smile turned lopsided. “I told you, not even the lightning could keep me from coming to you, but when I did come, it was too late and I was sure you were fast asleep. So I slipped the note under your door.”
“But,” she stammered, confused. “Why beneath the door? I thought you left it on my table and it may have flown to the floor.”
“I have never intruded on your privacy,” he said, like a reminder.
Alexa stared at him in open disbelief. “I swear, Tristan, I have never met a boy like you.” How could she have ever accused him, a gentleman to the core, for intruding on her privacy? “You—you are—you keep surprising me.”
“As do you, my Alexa.” Tristan’s eyes softened with that adoring look again.
My Alexa.She smiled, nearly undone. At that moment, she realized that she wanted to see to the end whatever that they were now. They smiled at each other for a moment before she spoke again.
“Would you give me a tour of your art?”